Preparing Yerba Mate with a Teapot

I’ve always been a simple gourd and yerba Matero: preparing mate the most traditional way, with either a calabash or wooden mate gourd and bombilla.

But with old traditions come new traditions. Mate is expanding and it’s no longer necessary to limit yourself to the gourd. In South America, the gourd is still the mainstay. Here in North America, many Materos keep the tradition alive. But an emerging community of new drinkers are also seeing the versatility in using more, recognizable, ways of preparing mate: with a frenchpress or teapot.

Just as you would with green tea, yerba mate can be made with a teapot<

Add 1 heaping teaspoon per 8 ounces of water to teapot strainer. Allow yerba to sit in room-temperature water for 1 minute.

Add yerba to teapot and pour 175ºF water. Allow to steep for 4—5 minutes; 7 minutes for very strong brew.